Our top park picks

Cool city parks are perfect for hot summer days.

If you don’t believe us, then why do hundreds of people hang out at Turner Park for Jazz on the Green at Midtown Crossing?

Parks have become a hub for social activity. It’s a place where neighbors share shade, conversation and a blanket-size plot of green space to catch a band or movie. So we decided to break out a few of the metro area’s coolest parks. What’s there? Who goes there? What’s the vibe like?

Here’s our guide to outdoor park fun, starting with two that were recently opened or reopened:

Midtown Crossing at Turner Park

31st and Dodge Streets

The mixed-use development has become a hot spot for dining and entertainment. Jazz on the Green (moved to the park this year) is a huge draw. People come out to enjoy a free live music concert, sip a little wine and hang out with friends. Vendors sell beer, wine and food in the park, which sets the mood.

Loft 610, which overlooks Turner Park, has become one of the it spots to visit. The restaurant-lounge offers patio space to Jazz on the Green fans. But you have to call weeks in advance to get a spot, said Bryce Adams, the general manager.

Turner Park attracts a mixed crowd, from teenagers to 60-somethings. As more restaurants open in the area, expect to see more traffic. Opening before year’s end: European-style bakery Délice, Blanc Burgers + Bottles, Mexican restaurant Cantina Laredo, sushi spot Crave and Grey Plume.

“We’re a microcosm of the Old Market, except we’re surrounded by a beautiful park,” Adams said.

The next Jazz on the Green is 7 p.m. Thursday featuring the Prairie Cats and Grand Marquis. Parking: Garage parking is available starting at 5 p.m. at 33rd and Dodge Streets, 33rd and Harney Streets, 35th Avenue and Dodge Street, 36th and Dodge Streets and 34th and Farnam Streets. Garage parking is free for the first three hours only. Street parking is free after 6 p.m.

Stinson Park at Aksarben Village

67th and Center Streets

The park has movie nights, concerts and other entertainment scheduled throughout the summer. The next performance is 7 p.m. Saturday, featuring cover band Taxi Driver, which plays oldies, Motown, classic rock, country and new hits.

“It’s definitely a family-oriented and eclectic crowd,” said Jody Cvetas, a bartender at nearby Liv Lounge. “I’ve been to a few events the past couple of years. People bring lawn chairs and coolers to picnic.”

Stinson Park also has a children’s playground and water jets at the base of an obelisk.

“You can see them out there when there aren’t events,” Cvetas said. “The kids love to play in the water jets, especially now that the weather’s so hot.”

Seasonal farmers markets are on Sunday. For more information on other coming events, visit www.AksarbenVillage.com

Hefflinger Dog Park >>

Near 112th Street and West Maple Road

Hefflinger Dog Park was Omaha’s first official dog park. It’s a 7-acre fenced-in, leash-free area designed for safe dog play. Picnic tables and benches are available. The park also has a BMX Bike Track that is open for public use seasonally. www.omahadogpark.org

Bayliss Park

Downtown Council Bluffs

A stunning 20-foot fountain made of concentric stainless steel shapes continually changes spray and colored light patterns. The plaza includes a children’s play area with water jets, benches, black-squirrel sculptures and landscaping.

Cancer Survivors Park

Near 105th and Pacific Streets

The focal point of this two-acre memorial park is a tower of light consisting of 14 tall columns. A long arbor containing the Positive Mental Attitude Walk extends from the sculpture at the corner of the tower. Bikers, in-line skaters and hikers stop by when traveling down the Papio Trail.

Gene Leahy Mall

Downtown Omaha

This 10-acre park mixes nature with modern architecture in the heart of downtown. The mall’s waterfalls, lagoon, walking paths, gardens, playground and double slides are what attract downtown workers and visitors. It’s the perfect lunchtime break spot. During wintertime, the Holiday Lights Festival draws thousands to see more than a million lights strung through the mall’s trees.

Heartland of America Park

800 Douglas St.

A 300-foot water jet sits in the center of the park’s lake, which is open mid-April to Nov. 1. It’s the perfect place to take a stroll, whether you’re a runner or walker. Heartland Gondolas operates boat tours that get you close enough to the lake’s geyser to feel the spray. Excursions: Thursday through Sunday evenings, May to September. While you’re there, view the memorial statues that depict four scenes inspired by those who served in the military and at home during World War II. There’s also a memorial to airborne service members.

Memorial Park

63rd and Davenport Streets

The 67-acre park was created as a memorial for people from Douglas County who have served in the armed forces. In 1959, the Omaha Rose Society added its All-American Rose Society Garden. A pedestrian bridge over Dodge Street was completed in 1968. In 1990 the Woodmen of the World added flagpoles and flags along the entrance drive to the park. The park features an expansive green space. Naturally, it attracts Frisbee, rugby, soccer and baseball players. People also enjoy sledding, kite-flying, weddings, rock concerts and smelling the park’s roses.

Roberts Skate Park

730 N. 78th St.

It’s a 14,000-square-foot complex made of concrete. It caters to various skill levels. Urban elements include ramps, stairs, quarter pipes, a grinding block and fun box. Across the river, Broadway Skate Park in Council Bluffs features a snake run, 4-foot bowl, rails, stairs and a quarter pipe. Open year-round during daylight hours.

Pipal Park

7802 Hascall St.

Pipal Park is a barrier-free playground that has a bridge, slides, swings and picnic areas. A water feature keeps the kids busy, as do the many art sculptures.

Kenefick Park

100 Bancroft St.

See how bitty you look standing next to two Union Pacific locomotives: Big Boy No. 4023, which was the largest steam engine built and operated, and Centennial No. 6900 — the largest diesel locomotive made. You have to climb a bluff overlooking Interstate 80 and the Missouri River to the mounted trains at this park, next to Lauritzen Gardens, but it’s worth the trouble.

Zorinsky Lake Park

3808 S. 156th St.

Great open space for kite-flying, fishing, hitting the trails and, in late winter, for eagle watching. The park has one of the largest playgrounds in the metro area. Bikers, in-line skaters and joggers often go here to soak up some sun. And if you’re looking to cool off, the new Zorinsky Lake Family Aquatic Center opened last month.

Standing Bear Lake

138th and Fort Streets

A streetside trail connects many residential neighborhoods with Standing Bear Lake. You can check out the fishing, trails, kite-flying or see radio-controlled airplanes that fly off the water when a local club hosts events there.

Elmwood Park

802 S. 60th St.

The 216-acre Elmwood Park is located south of the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus. The park offers lots of shade trees for hot summer days, sidewalks, trails, flower gardens and a children’s playground. The annual Shakespeare on the Green and other festivals, including Earth Day, are held there.

Walnut Creek

Near Nebraska Highway 370 and South 96th Street

Sumtur Amphitheater is at Walnut Creek in Papillion. It hosts a mix of free and admission-charged concerts. For a schedule, go to www.sumtur.org/events.aspx. Walnut Creek also has paved paths with tent and RV camping, fishing, a boat dock and an equestrian trail.

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